Vacuum filling machine



Dec. 3, l929.- T, E, PE'NNQCK 1,737,677

VACUUH FILLING MACHINE FiledMay 2, 1924 6 Sheets-Shea?l l l. ,a1-A I B l I i 2.7

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VACUUM FILLING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVEHTOR Theodore E Vahnomk QV-ML l l AwvoRnEy.

Dec. 3, 1929.

T. E. PENNocK vAcUUM FILLING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1924 Sheets-Sheet 5 NVE HTOR RTYORNEY Filed May 2. 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 invwm mvENToR Theodore E ya hoc. k

Q'M I L ATTORNEY Dec. 3, 192'9.

T. E.. PENNOCK VACUUM FILLING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 UVEHTOR Theor-(ore. E. .-Pennock Dc..3; :1929. T. E. PENNocK VACUUM FILLING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Dec. A3, I1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THEODORE E. PENNOCK, F ROCHESTER,VNEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 STANDARD AUTO- MATIC MACHINE 'YORK COMPANY, 0F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A OORPORATION 0F NEW VACUUM FILLING momma Application led Hay `2, 1924. Serial No. 710,623.

The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved machine for Iilling bottles by creating a vacuum therein.

Another object is to provide a new and useful arrangement of the overflow receptacle.

Another object is to provide an automatic arrangementfor draining the overflow. receptacle into the supply tankso as to avoid the use of a pump or other equivalent device used for the purpose of returning the surplus liquid to the supply tank. Another object is to provide a valve in the air line by which the valves in the liquid line or the valves which come intoI contact with the liquid are automatically 15.0peratecl.

Another object is to connect the valve used for that purpose with the operation of the platen so that the valve will shift and drain an overflow receptacle every time the platen is lowered to receive and discharge bottles.

Another object of the invention is to keep one of the overiow receptacles active and the other idle and reverse this use of them every time the platen is returnedto normal position.

Another object is to provide a machine that I is easily drained and cleaned so that various liquids can be handled by one and the same machine without contamination.

This and other objects of the invention will be fully illustrated in the drawings, described in the specifications and pointed out inthe claims at the end thereofl In thedrawfn s:

Figure 1 is a ront elevation of thelilling machine. K

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the filling machine looking at it from the right in Figure 1, the supply tankland a valve being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine. Figure 4 is a section on the line 4x X of Figure 3 looking to the left. Figure 5 is a vertical section thru the nozzle block and nozzle.

Figure 6 is a detail view of the gauge and centering device on the platen fixing the posil tion of the bottles on the platen with reference to the nozzles.

Figure 7 is a.section on the line 7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail View of the automatic valve that controls the vacuum of the overliow receptacles alternately.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9"---9x of Figure 8 with the valve 64 shown at the right hand end of its movement.

Figure 9A is a view similar to Figure 9 with the valve 64 shown at the left hand end of its movement. v 'i Figure 10 is a vertical section thru the overflow receptacles on the line 10x- 10" of Figure 3.

Figure 11 is the front elevation of the valve seat. and the portion of the frame to which it is attached.

Figure 12' is a detailed view of the upper end of the manifold pipe and cap. for closing it.

Figure 13 is a sectional view of a modified connection between the lever and the link for the purpose of varying the length of the link and the lift of the platen.

In the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In the drawings, reference numeral 1 indicates a base which comprises .a rectangular frame with feet at each of the four corners thereof. On this base is fastened the uprightv frame 2. Also carried on the base is "the motor l3 and a vacuum'pump 4. Supported on the upright 2 and integral therewith is a bracket 5 on the rear face of which is cut a groove which serves as a guide in which can move up and down the plate 6 on topof which is carried the platen 7 .Y A lever 8 is rovded which is pivoted on the bracket 5 as Indicated at 9. This lever isprovided with a handle 10 at one end thereof vand a counterweight 11 at the other end thereof. This lever is bent as indicated at 12 at which int is con.- nected a link 13 which in turn 1s connected by a pin 14 to the slide 6 at the upper end and immediately under the platen. The slide 6 and the platen 7 are connected together by an angle bracketl which holds them irmroo 8. When the lever 8 is raised to the dotted line position it is stopped in that position by the boss and in this position a portion of the lever 8 is in line with the link 13 forming a toggle. This raises the platen and carries the bottles into lilling contact with the nozzles.

Integral with the upright 2 is the cross bar 17 having a boss 18 centrally thereof which is pierced to receive the screw 19. The handwheel 2O is provided having a threaded engagement with the screw so that by turning the handwheel the screw is raised or lowered. The upper end of the screw is cut away to form a seat thereon by which it is fastened to an upright slide 21 which moves in a guide formed in the yoke 22 which is integral with and forms the upper part of the upright 2. This keep the screw from turning. To the slide 21 is fastened the bracket 23 which supports 'the supply tank 24. To the upper end of the slide 21 is attached the bracket 25 which in turn carries the nozzles 26 and 39, nozzle blocks 27, the manifold 28, and the overflow receptacles 29A and 29B. By turning the hand wheel the nozzles and nozzle blocks are raised or lowered to accommodate them to the height of the bottles. The bracket is machined as indicated at 30 to form a guide in which the upper end of the nozzle blocks 27 are clamped. The bracket 25 is provided at the top with a slot 31 which extends nearly the length thereof.

, Bolts 32 extend thru this slot and are threaded into the upper end of the nozzle blocks as indicated at 33. By loosening the bolts the nozzle blocks can be moved along the guide 30 to place them in the desired position and by tightening the bolts the blocks can then be clamped permanently in the stationary position. The nozzle block is shown in detail in Figure 5. It consists of a block provided with the air passage 34 and the liquid passage 35. Both of these passnges extend horizontally from one side of the block down into it. f The passage 34 connects with the vertical passage 36 which is drilled from the top of the block to connect with the passage 34 and extend it down to the circular recess 37 in the bottom of the block. vThe vertical passa e 36 is closed at the top by the plug 38. he passage 35 is threaded at its lower end to form a seat for and receive the inner nozzle 39. The recess 37 is threaded at its lower end to form a seat for and receive the outer nozzle 26. It will be understood that the nozzles and the passages leading thereto are interchangeable so that either can be used for liquid or for air.

The overfiow receptacles 29A and 29B are each provided with a seat 41A and 41B respectively, which are fastened to the bracket 25 at its opposite ends by bolts 42. On these seats are carried the glass domes 45 of the overflow receptacles. Fastened in to the seats of the overflow receptacles is the manifold pipe 28 having upper end pipes 43 and 44 extending up into the domes 45. Un top o1' these pipes are the cap valves 46 and 4'( which normally rest by gravity on top or' the pipes and close the opening thereof. The cap 4'( is shown raised from the top of the pipe 44 and the cap 46 is shown resting on the top of the pipe 43 due to the suction of air thru the manifold and into the overiiow receptacle. To permit the air to tlow thru the cap when raised the cap is made with ample clearance between the inside thereof and the pipe. To secure this clearance the cap is provided with three ribs two of which are shown at 48, 49, projecting radially inward, which ribs loosely engage the sides of the pipes 43 and 44. The cap is provided with an annular opening 51 near the bottom thereof, thru which the air sucked thru the manifold can escape from the cap into the overiow receptacle. The cap is provided with a flange 52 which loosely engages the pipes 43 and 44 so that the cap can slide easily thereon. To prevent the cap from being blown oli' of the pipe 43 or 44, a pin 53 is provided in the pipes. As long as the cap rises straight up and down this pin engages the flange 52 on the bottom of the cap and prevents the removal of the cap accidentally. The flange 52, however, is provided with a vertical slot 54 therein which permits the cap to go down over the pin 53. The tops of the ribs 48, 49, and 50 are cut away so that the pin 53 can pass over them and away from the vertical slot in the flange 52 into another section of the cap than the one in which the slot 54 is located. The pin 53 can pass thru this slot as the cap is lifted off, and in this way the cap can be removed from the pipe and replaced thereon, and by turning it when in place the accidental removal of it is avoided.

Each of the overflow receptacles is provided with a seat 41A` and 41B respectively on which rests the dome 45 above referred to. From the seats 41A and 41B extend downwardly the drain lpipes 57 and l58. These pipes drain into the same supply-tank, the pipes being permittedto drain one at a time alternately by a valve which I will now describe. vided an elbow 59 which is threaded to the pipe 57 at its upper end. This elbow makes a little more than a quarter turn and is provided with a sloping seat 60, which seat is adapted to be closed by a lapper valve 6l pivoted at 62 to the elbow 59. As long as the vacuum is maintained in the overflow receptacle the atmospheric pressure and gravity will hold the valve 61 closed and will retain therein any liquid that has drained into the pipe 57. As soon as the vacuum in the overflow receptacle is destroyed the pressure of the liquid that is collected in the pipe 57 is suliicient to lift the valve which On the bottom of the pipe 57 is pro` los allows the liquid to drain into the supply tank 24. As soon as the liquid has drained from the pipe the valve will close against its seat by gravity and will be held tightly against its seat as soon as a vacuum is produced in the overflow receptacle.

The vacuum is produced alternately in the overflow receptacle 45 by means of the vacuum pump 4 which sucks air thru the pipe 63, which pipe leads up to a valve 64 and valve seat 65 which controls the suction from the overflow receptacle into the pipe 63. To the valve seat 65 are connected the pipes 66 and 67, the pipe 66 being connected by the flexible tube 68fto the pipe 70 which leads to an opening in the seat of the over` flow receptacle from which rises the suction pipe 72 within the overflow receptacle, the whole forming an airtight connection. A similar air suction line thru the pipe 67, tube 69, pipe 71, and pipe 73 leadsinto the other overflow receptacle. A vacuum is alternately formed in these overflow receptacles by the valve 64 which is shifted to the right or to the left alternately for this purpose by mechanism that I will now describe. Fastened on a sliding plate 6 is provided the roller 75 that engages one side or the other of a swinging pawl 76 pivoted at 77 on the swinging arm 78 which in turn swings on a stud 79 carried on the housing or valve seat 65. This valve seat is formed in a block 80 which is fastened to suitable lugs 81 and 82 that eX- tend downwardly from the upright frame.

. This valve seat is provided with three port openings 83, 84, and 85. The opening 83 connects with the pipe 66 leading to the seat 41A and the port opening 85 connects with the pipe 67 leading to the seat 41B, and the central opening 84 connects with the pipe 63 leading to the suction pump. The valve 64 has three openings therein, 86, 87, and 88. In the position shown in Figure 9 the opening 87 connects the ports 84 and 85, so that the pipe 67 is connected to the suction pipe 63 and the air pump, and while this position of the valve is maintained the overflow will be carried into the overflow receptacle 29B in which the vacuum is being maintained. At the same time the opening 86 in the valve 64 is opposite the port 83 and this allows the atmosphere to flowy thru the opening in the port 83 into the pipe 66 destroying the vacuum in the overflow receptacle 29A and allowing the cap 46 to seat on top of the pipe 43 and close that endof the manifold against the atmosphere so that a vacuum can be maintained in the other overflow receptacle at the other end of the manifold and in the manifold as well.

As shown in Figure 1 the operating lever As the handle is moved to the dotted line position the toggles 8 and 13 are straightened and this in turn carries up the slide 6. Mounted on the slide 6 is the roller 75 which passes up beyond the pawl 7 6. On the bottom of the slide 6 is carried a block 90,-hav ing pins 91 and 92 thereon. As the slide 6 goes up with the parts positioned as shown in Figure 8 the roller 75 passes beyond the pawl 76 and the pin 92 strikes the corner 93 of the pawl and swings it to the left as far as the pin 94 can travel in the slot 95.

This causes thepoint 96 ofthe pawl 76 to pass beyond the centerof the roller 7 5 so that as the roller comes down with thb slide 6 and the handle 10, the roller 75 will come down on the right hand side of the pawl 76 and push the pawl and thevswinging arm 78 to the left beyond the center an angular distance equal to the distance in which they are shown to the right of the center in Figure 8. The arm 78 is connected to the slide valve 64 by means of the roller 97, and as the arm 78 swings to the left it carries the slide valve 64 from the positonshown in Figure 9 to the position shown in Figure 9A. The roller 97 is arranged to move'vertically in a slot 98 in the valve 64, and the valve casing is provided with an opening 99 sufficiently enlarged to permit the desired movements of the roller 97. As shown in Figure 9A the vacuum is then created in the overflow receptacle 29A and is cut off from the receptacle 29B into which the atmosphere can pass freely. Y

When the handle 10 is raised to bring the next quota of bottles into connection with the nozzles the pawl 76 is swung to the right by the pin 91 and thereafter when the handle 10 moves down the roller 75 passes down on the left of the pawl 76 and vmoves the arm 78 to the position shown in full-lines in Figure 8, thereby shifting the valve 64 back to the position shown in Figure 9. In this way the valve 64 lis shifted each .time the platen is lowered and is in the right hand position and thel overflow receptacle 29B.is in use with the `vacuum with every odd-numbered lowering and even-numbered raising of the platen, and the valve 64 is in the left hand position and the overflow receptacle 29A is in use with every even-numbered lowering and odd-numbered*7 lifting of the platen.

When the platen is in its lowest or normal position one of the overflow receptacles is connected to the vacuum line and the vacuum line is still connected to this overfiow receptacle while the platen is raised and while the bottles are being filled. It remains so connected until the downward movement of the platen begins at which time the valve 64 is shifted by which the vacuum is cut off| from the first overflow receptacle land Vis transferred to the second overflow receptacle and remains connected to the second overflow receptacle until the platen is again raised and has started down.

In this way the overflow receptacle automatically drains into the supply tank after each quota of bottles is filled thereby, and the two overflow receptacles are caused to operate alternately to produce a vacuum in the bottles that are carried up by the platen.

Placed in line with the platen 7 at the right hand end thereof as shown in Figure 3 is the runway 105, on which the bottles are placed before they are fed to the platen. This runway is supported by the bracket- 105A attached to the frame of the machine as shown in Figure 1. This runway has a flat surface on top and guide 101 is clamped on the front thereof by the clamps 106, and the guide 102 is clamped on the rear thereof by the clamps 107. These clamps can be moved toward and away from each other as the diameter ofthe bottles passing between them makes it necessary. The guide 102 must be lined up with the guide 104 on the rear of the platen and the guide. 101 must be lined up with the guide 103 on the front of the platen. The guides 103 and 104 are fastened on the platen by clamps similar to the clamps 106 and 107. At the left hand end of the platen is the circular table 108 mounted to rotate on a bracket other bottles ahead of it. When the bottles are moved-to the table 108 the table can be turned so that an open space thereon is presented to the platen to receive the next quota of bottles after they have been filled.

On the guide 104 are provided the lugs 110 and 111 on which is mounted to oscillate the bar 112. On this bar is fastened a sleeve 113 having a finger 114 thereon. This sleeve is held in place by the set screw 125, which clamps it to the shaft. By loosening the set screw the sleeve can be released and moved along the shaft to the desired position for stopping the bottles in the correct position under the nozzles. The nozzle blocks are adjustable to fit bottles of various sizes and this adjustmentof the finger 114 is needed along with the adjustment of the nozzle blocks. On the other end of the bar 112 is a bracket 115 having a finger 116 thereon. These fingers are set on the shaft about 135o apart from each other. When the finger 116 is in the position shown in Figure 7 the finger 114 projects horizontally across the platen as shown in Figure 6, and is in the correct position to stop the quota of bottles in its correct position to receive the nozzles, and the nozzle blocks and nozzles are adjusted to correspond to this position of the bottles.

When the platen 7 rises it carries the bar 112 up with it and the finger 116 engages unbracket 115 has a shoulder 118 thereon. The

guide 104 carries a stem 119 on which is piv' oted a block 120. A torsion spring 121 on the stem 119 causes the block 120 to swing against the boss of the bracket 115 and as the shoulder 118 swings from the full-line position to the dotted-line position in Figure the block 120 swings under the shoulder and locks it with the finger 116 in the. dottedline position about 90 from the position shown in full-lines. The movement of the finger`116 rocks the shaft 112 and raises the finger 114 to a vertical position. The parts are retained in this position when the platen is lowered to its normal position and this permits the removal of the bottles from the platen to the table 108. When the next quota of bottles is removed from the runway to the platen 7 the first bottle of the oncoming quota will swing the block 120 away from the shoulder 118, and the spring 122 on the shaft 112 will turn the shaft 112 back to the position shown in Figure 6 and shown in full-lines in Figure 7. One end of the spring 122 is fastened to a collar 123 and the other end of the spring engages behind the guide 104. The collar 123 is clamped to the shaft 112 by a set screw and the bracket 115 is also clamped to the shaft 112 by a set screw, and between them they embrace the lug 111 by which the shaft 112 is held against endwise movements.

The lift of the platen 7 can be made variable and to secure this result the link 13 can be slotted at its lower end as shown in section in Figure 14, as shown in that figure a stud 135 is provided which has a shoulder and a reduced end. The slotted end of the link receives the reduced end of the stud which is clamped thereto by the nut 136. lThe link canbe moved along this stud to an amount equal to the clearance in the slot and clamped thereto. As the stud swings with the link and is the center on which the link swings this has the effect of changing the effective length of the link in the toggle. The stud swings in the hole provided therefor in the lever. Two studs 130, 130 are provided which are threaded therein and are locked at the desired elevation by lock nuts. These studs are therefore adjustable up or down. On top of the stud is placed a bumper of soft material such a's rubber. The platen when in normal position rests on these studs which holds it at the desired elevation so as u; line up with the runways on each side o it.`

While the filling and valve shifting aptomatic machines of the type shown in the patent to Gosselin No. 1,416,345 and in the automatic machine shown in my prior Patent No. 1,418,203 on the filling apparatus of which machines this invention is an improvement. I claim:

l. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a valve seat having a middle port therein connected to a suction line and a port on each side thereof, a valve sliding on said seat, having passages adapted to connect the middle port with either of the end ports and simultaneously connect the other end port with the atmosphere, a vertically movable slide, means contacted by said slide in its reciprocations for shifting said valve in one direction on the first downward movement of the slide, said means operating to shift the valve in the opposite direction on the second downward movement of the slide, an overfiow receptacle connected to each end port of the valve seat whereby either overflow receptacle can be exhausted through the middle port of the valve seat. 1

2. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a valve seat having a middle port therein connected to a suction line and a port on each side thereof, a valve sliding on said seat having passages adapted to connect the middle port with either of the end ports and simultaneously connect the other end port with the atmosphere, a vertically movable slide, means contacted by said slide in its reciprocations for shifting said valve in one direction on the first downward movement of the slide, said means operating to shift the valve in the opposite direction on the second downward movement of the slide, said slide moving across the valve at right angles to the movement of the valve, an overflow receptacle connected to each end port of the valve seat whereby either overflow receptacle can bekexhausted through the middle port of the valve seat.

3. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a slide, a valve moving transversely to the slide, an arm pivoted above the valve and connected to the valve, a pawl pivoted on the bottom of said arm and adapted to swing across said arm and having a limited movement thereon, said slide being adapted to tilt the pawl on the arm and then engage the pawl to swing the arm and move said valve alternately in either direction, a valve seat having a middle port therein connected to a suction line, la port on either side thereof, said valve being adapted to connect the middle,` port with each end port alternately, an overflow receptacle connected to each end port of the valve seat whereby either overflow receptacle can be exhausted through the middle port of the valve seat.

4. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a slide, a valve mounted to move across said slide, connections between the slide and valve by which the valve is moved first in one direction and then in the other direction by the downward movement of the slide, said slide serving to lock the valve at the end of its movement during the balance of the movement of the slide, a valve seat having a middle port therein connected to a suction line, a port on either side thereof, said valve being adapted to connect the middle port with each end port alternately, an overflow receptacle connected to each end port of the valve seat whereby either overflow receptacle can be eX- hausted. through the middle port of the valve seat.

5. In a bottle lling machine, the combination of a valve shifting device comprising a slide, pins carried on said slide, a pawl, said pins being adapted to engage the bottom of said pawl alternately to tilt the pawl first in one direction and then inthe opposite direction, an arm on which said pawl is mounted to swing,'means for moving the arm, a valve moved by said arm, a valve seat having a middle port therein connected to a suction line, a port on either side thereof, said valve being adapted to connect the middle port ywith each end port alternately, an overflow receptacle connected to cach end port of the valve seat whereby either overflow receptacle can be exhausted through the middle port of the valve side and then on the other side to swing said` pawl and arm, first in one direction and then in the other direction, a valve moved by said arm, a valve seat having a middle port therein connected to a suction line, a port on either side thereof, said valve being adapted to connect the middle port with each end port alternately, an overflow receptacle connected to each end port of the valve seat whereby either overflow receptacle can be exhausted through the middle port of the valve seat.

7. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a valve shifting device comprising a slide, pins carried on said slide, a pawl, said pins being adapted to engage the bottom of said pawl alternately to tilt the pawl first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, an arm on which said pawl is mounted to swing, a roller carried on said slide adapted to engage said pawl at the top, first on one side and then on the other side to swing said pawl and arm, first in one direction and then in the other direction, a slide Valve fastened to and moved by said arm, means to prevent the shifting of said valve beyond a predetermined amount, a valve seat having a middle port therein connecte-d to a suction line, a port on either side thereof, said, valve being adapted to connect the middle ort with each end port alternately, an over ow receptacle connected to each end port of the valve seat whereby either overflow receptacle can be exhausted through the middle port of the valve seat.

8. In a bottle filling machine, an overflow receptacle having an inlet pipe therein, a cap valve on top of said pipe capable of closing said pipe, said valve being lifted by suction to permit air to flow from said pipe between the pipe and the cap into the overflow receptacle, said valve having radial ribs therein engaging the pipe with air spaces between the ribs.

9. In a bottle filling machine, an overflow receptacle having an .ilet pipe therein, a cap valve on top of said pipe capable of closing said pipe, said valve being lifted by suction to permit air to flow from said pipe between the pipe and the cap into the overflow receptacle, said valve being provided with radial ribs forming segmental openings to permit the flow of air therethrough.

10. In a bott-le filling machine, a valve cap having the shape of an inverted cup, ribs extending inward radially therefrom, an inwardly extending flange at the bottom of said cap connecting said ribs, said value cap being provided with segmental openings therethrough above said flange.

11. In a bottle filling machine, a valve cap having the shape of an inverted cup, ribs extending inward radially therefrom, an inwardly extending flange at the bottom of said cap connecting said ribs, said valve cap being provided with segmental openings therethrough above said flange, said flange having a slot therein.

12. In a bottle filling machine, a valve cap having the shape of an inverted cup, ribs extending inward radially therefrom, an inwardly extending flange at the bottom of said cap connecting said ribs, said valve cap being provided with segmental openings therethrough above said flange, said flange having a slot therein, a pipe having a pin projecting radially therefrom, said pin being adapted to pass through said slot in said flange, said ribs being broken away at the top to permit the pin to pass over said ribs on the rotation of said valve.

- 13. In a vacuum filling machine, the combinatio'n of nozzles adapted to fill bottles by creating a vacuum therein, a platen by which bottles are raised into connection therewith and lowered therefrom, two overflow receptacles adapted to receive the air and eX- cess liquid from the bottles, a valve actuated by the lowering of the platen to alternately connect the nozzles first with one overflow receptacle and then with the other.

14. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a supply tank, liquid supply tubes containing valves which allow the liquid to flow toward the filling heads but prevent the liquid from flowing toward the tank, two overflow receptacles, vacuum creating means, a valve in the vacuum line which alternately shifts the vacuum from one overflow receptacle to the other and means for draining the overflow receptacles, a platen for lifting the bottles and lowering them, means operated by the movement of the platen to move the last named valve.

15. In a vacuum filling machine, in combination, a liquid supply, a filling nozzle, a container supporting member, means for effecting relative movementbetween the filling nozzle and container supporting member, two overflow chambers, piping connections between the filling nozzle, liquid supply and overflow chambers, and means operatively connected with the means for effecting the aforesaid relative movement for automatically causing the overflow liquid to discharge from one chamber while the other chamber is under vacuum.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

THEODORE E. PENNOCK. 

